By the end of the evening. Romos was so excited she buttoned up her new pink winter jacket, put on a blue knit winter hat and headed out the door - even though it was 73 degrees outside.

Romos was one of about 36 children from across Amarillo to get a free winter jacket, scarf and gloves thanks to the Eveline Rivers Christmas Project.

Her brother, Simon, 2, had his eye on a Spider-Man jacket. When the first didn't fit, he kept searching for another in his size until he struck gold.

Tuesday night's giveaway was light compared with some nights, but volunteers weren't dismayed. When the temperatures start to drop, Eveline Rivers said they sometimes serve up to 400 kids a night. Sometimes the line stretches blocks away to Third Avenue from the location on Jefferson Street.

"We work until we're tired (those nights)," she explained.

The students served by the project are mainly lower income and are nominated by their guidance counselor.

"We're here to be a helping hand for those that need us," she said.

Brand-new coats line racks in the Coatroom. Girls coats on top. Boys coats on the bottom. All are sorted according to size.

The students pick their favorites. For some, it's the first new item of clothing they've ever received, she said.

For Monica Rivera and her two children, the coats are welcome. The three just relocated from California, where their climate didn't call for winter clothing.

Her daughter, Muriah, 5, studied herself closely in the mirror to see how she looked in her new jacket before selecting a red one.

"They're kind of excited picking out all the new stuff," Monica Rivera said. "This is wonderful that they do this. We're starting to appreciate jackets here."